#gainesvilleburgers

[therealdannyv-blog]

How to Survive College without Using Your Kitchen

My name is Danny Veilleux and I am a junior at the University of Florida majoring in advertising.  I have many interests and talents, but cooking is not one of the them!

When I first arrived in Gainesville, my parents dropped me off at a typical freshman dorm and enrolled me in a typical freshman meal plan. I believed that this plan was my best option for eating well without having to cook for myself. I was wrong.

This is me with my mom in my freshman dorm. This picture was taken in August 2015, the day I began my life as a Florida Gator.

photo credit: Danny Veilleux

This meal plan turned out to be very limiting and very expensive, especially if I wanted options outside of the plan. I could not wait to put an end to this unappetizing and unsavory eating endeavor.  My search for a better plan was born.

I quickly began researching blogs and websites as well as local restaurant deals.  One of my favorite blogs that I found was Ken Eats Gainesville. I recommend checking it out after you have read my posts!  https://www.keneatsgainesville.com/

This blog gave me great inspiration and great recommendations for local eateries, however it was not necessarily focused on cost. So I kept researching and scanning the community to find the best deals, and best the tasting options I could find.

I learned there are a lot of deals to be found, and a lot of people who want to know about these deals. And of course, dining frugally is not limited to college students! Anyone who enjoys a good meal for a fair price would appreciate this information.

On this blog all the work in finding this information done for you! I have painstakingly researched countless websites and blogs, as well as personally visited a wide array of local feeding spots to find the best deals so you don’t have to.

As you scroll the pages of my blog you will see the best deals for any given day, as well as recommended websites and apps that will lead you to the best dining deals.  I will also give my opinions on restaurants that I have visited and my strategies for keeping the options interesting. I hope you enjoy!

[therealdannyv-blog]

Daily Deals; M is for Money, & Monday!

What are the 4 Best Burger Deals in Gainesville?

I need to start my week off right, and that means finding my best dining deals in Gainesville for any given Monday. Some people say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, I say Monday is most important meal of the week. I also say Monday is burger day! Keep reading to find by favorite 4 Monday burger deals for hungry appetites on a budget.

1. Applebee’s

Whatever I’m doing, whether it’s school, sports, eating, etc, I like to start off strong. And what could be stronger than a great, protein packed burger and unlimited fries?  This is exactly the deal you can find at Applebee’s on a Monday! You can visit the Applebee’s Gainesville Facebook page to see more menu options (https://www.facebook.com/ApplebeesGainesvilleFL/), but I highly recommend this burger deal.

There are a 2 Applebee’s in town; 1005 NW 13th Street and 7441 W. University Avenue. This makes it easy not to miss Monday night burger night!

Photo from facebook.com/ApplebeesGainesvilleFL

For less than $10 you can order any burger on the Applebee’s menu and also receive an endless serving of fries. I have to admit, over the years this has become a Monday tradition for me and my crew. The burgers are delicious! And I need to stress, you can order any burger!  I prefer the All Day Brunch Burger, which comes complete with bacon and a fried egg on top, yum!

2.Copper Monkey

While I am discussing burgers, I cannot leave out the Copper Monkey burger special. Monday is $3 Burger Night at Copper Monkey, and while this does not include sides, it is still a really good deal. Copper Monkey recently re-opened their midtown location, moving it across University Avenue to the Creekside Mall.  I have to admit, the multi-level floor plan is a bit strange, but the pub atmosphere is not lost on the unusual layout of the restaurant.  For $3 you will get a premium burger (not fast food), and you can definitely add sides and a drink and still remain under my $10 cap.

Copper Monkey is located at 3501 SW 2nd Avenue in the Creekside Mall. Monday night is $3 burger night at the Monkey.

photo: www.facebook.com/CopperMonkeySecondAve

3.Beef O’Brady’s

Another very good option for a premium burger with fries is Beef O’Brady’s. Their $5.99 burger and fries might actually sound like a better deal than Applebee’s, but I have to warn you; they do not have the All Day Brunch Burger. While this is a bit disappointing, the burgers are still actually very good, and the sports-bar atmosphere is very friendly with great customer service. You can check out other specials on their website, https://www.beefobradys.com/monday-specials.aspx, for more menu options.

Beef O’Brady’s is located at 1999 NW 43rd Street. This burger and fry meal costs $5.99 on Burger Monday.

Photo: Danny Veilleux

4. Mac’s Drive Thru

If you prefer a restaurant that is not a chain, and is drop the mike delicious, you need to check out Mac’s Drive Thru. The burgers are ridiculously cheap, $2.40 for a double and $3.69 for a triple, and they are ridiculously good. The ingredients are obviously fresh.

You don’t have to take my word for it, Mac’s can be found on many various websites and blogs such as  Yelp and Ken Eats Gainesville, (https://www.yelp.com/biz/macs-drive-thru-gainesville, & https://www.keneatsgainesville.com/single-post/2015/04/25/Gainesvilles-Local-Burger-Joints)  as one of Gainesville’s best burger joints.

There are a couple of drawback to Mac’s, however.  It is only open on weekdays, and it closes at 5pm.  This is a little too early to be considered dinner for a college student, but it is still a great lunch option!

Mac’s Drive Thru is located at 129 NW 10th Avenue. On any given weekday afternoon you will see people lined up at the window and cars wrapping around the drive-thru waiting for one of Mac’s great burgers.

Photo: https://www.keneatsgainesville.com/

Sources:

www.facebook.com/ApplebeesGainesvilleFL/

https://www.facebook.com/CopperMonkeySecondAve/

www.keneatsgainesville.com/

https://www.yelp.com/biz/macs-drive-thru-gainesville